To Be Fuming With This Pharmacy!

[NemoIsLost]

I get my prescription sent electronically from my GP to Tesco pharmacy.
Almost every time there is a problem, either it's not ready when they say or theres only 1 box instead of 2 but today they surpassed themselves!
I went to collect it and after alot of faffing they said I had already collected it!
Well I havnt, they showed me the form signed for by me under 'exempt for contraception.
A. It's not a contraception!
B. It's not my signature!
The pharmacist got involved and said he doesn't know what's wrong and will investigate, but I still.have no tablets.
I need these tablets to live seizure free.
I'm so angry with them. The pharmacist is trying to get me a box by tonight. I told him I would be interested to know what's happened as someone has forged my signature and more worryingly someone may have the wrong medication!
Surely this is a serious incident for them?!

[Greywalls12]

That is a serious incident. I'd be finding another pharmacy if I was you!

[BiBiBirdie]

That needs reporting, to Tesco and to the relevant medical body for your area and for pharmacies. That's shockingly bad, if not utterly dangerous as, like you say, someone could have been in to collect their medication (in this case looks like contraceptive pills) only to be given yours which could make them very unwell.
Surely they need to call up their CCTV and look for who collected it?

[kitk]

It's very unlikely someone has forged your signature, more that someone with the same name has been in to pick up contraceptives and the pharmacy haven't checked the address or listened to her response. That is an issue and you should complain. I also hope this girl isn't taking your anti seizure meds having not noticed they're not right, since that could be dangerous for her.

The other business re things not being ready or limited stock aren't necessarily their fault, as some drugs are in limited supply and many pharmacies are being made to use central dispensing robots at the mo which can cause delays outside of the people in the shop's fault.

Since you need your meds today I suggest calmly revisiting the pharmacy and asking them to arrange an emergency supply from another pharmacy or liaise with your doctor to supply an alternative. Then complain about the dispensing error

[NemoIsLost]

Who should I complain to other than Tesco? I'm sure they don't believe me and I felt really humiliated.
The pharmacist said he will get me a box by tonight.

[SunburstsOrMarbleHalls]

This is classed as a serious dispensing error and must be reported to their Superintendent pharmacist at head office.

If they have given someone the wrong medication it could prove fatal to them. Even if a person shares the same full name as you they must not have completed the other checks of either date of birth and/or address when handing the medication over.

At the very least they should provide you with emergency supply to last a day or two while this gets sorted out.

Tell the pharmacy to keep you informed of the investigation and also log a complaint with the store itself.

Hopefully the person who has received the wrong medication notices before they take it (sounds like they were supposed to receive the contraceptive pill so they will pick up on it straight away).

[user1493759849]

This is careless and you do need to change pharmacies, but all of them make mistakes. I have yet to find one that doesn't screw up the prescription or have something missing (that they have to order in) at LEAST once every few weeks.

All that said @NemoIsLost why are you letting your meds get down to nothing before submitting your prescription request? Go see the doctor and ask him/her for a prescription for an additional month's supply. You can't put a prescription request in when you are down to your last 2 or 3 doses. That's crazy, and dangerous.

[JoxerGoesToStuttgart]

Ooh that’s bad!!

I’m hoping the woman (presumably?) who has your meds realises they aren’t her contraception when she opens it and brings them back.

[youarenotkiddingme]

Well if the prescription they showed you was for contraception and was signed for I would imagine it's someone of same name who collected that drug and signed for it.

I would ring Tesco head office and report though in case there's been a monumental cock up somewhere.

[PlaceYourItemInTheBaggingArea]

Just wondering why you have stayed with them if there is a problem every time? Not being funny, genuinely confused as to why you still use them?

If there aren't many pharmacies in your area, you can use online pharmacies that will post out to you, but as a pp has advised, don't leave it so late when ordering your prescription as they will also have to incorporate postal time.

[SunburstsOrMarbleHalls]

They may also know if this medication has been collected today or before. If it was today then the signed scrip will not usually have been filled away because part of the end of day procedure at closing usually includes counting up the amount of scripts/meds dispensed.

Pharmacies have a strict set of standard operating procedures (SOPS) that must be followed at every stage of the dispensing process and this hasn't been followed.

Also take the resident pharmacist GPhC number that you have been in contact with today. This will always be displayed somewhere in full view of the counter. They may not have been the pharmacist on duty when your scrip was incorrectly handed out to the wrong person but it is handy to have to confirm the details of the person involved with this issue.

You can also complain directly to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) about this dispensing error.

[SunburstsOrMarbleHalls]

*script

[EnlightenedOwl]

Hi I have meds for epilepsy and have learned a lot about pharmacy errors!!! here are my recs:-

no nominated pharmacy no electronic prescribing. You get your script on paper and you stay in control.
the big chains are the worse for mess ups especially Boots
You watch them make up that script like a hawk. Last time Boots tried to give me my meds but extended release version. Its a totally different pack! because I was watching I spotted it
No to pharmacy suggesting review of meds with pharmacist. That is for you and your doctor. They're not specialists in my condition
finally get briefed up on generic prescribing. The pharmacy may try to switch your branded meds to generic (if yours are branded). They cannot do this for epilepsy meds so you need to be ready for this.
and finally if they say they have part of the prescription but will order the rest in do not leave the prescription - I can guarantee they will say they can't get the rest of the medication and leave you high and dry. Go to another pharmacy.

hope this helps

[GreenFingersWouldBeHandy]

The missing medication isn't contraception though, OP has said she needs it to control her seizures.


@NemoIsLost this is a really serious error. Hopefully the info on the link will help you to report it.

psnc.org.uk/contract-it/essential-service-clinical-governance/patient-safety-incident-reporting/

[Snowangel23]

@user1493759849

Unfortunately you can't do that for some controlled drugs. Not saying this is the case for the OP but I can only order mine every 28 days and they will only issue close to the date.

[NemoIsLost]

To answer some questions, I am definately changing pharmacies, my GP only deals with a few but I've chosen another one. I stayed from convenience really, thinking each time they surely can't get it wrong again.
I never let the tablets run low. Nowhere have I said I was down to my last tablet. It was the pharmacist who promised me a box by tonight.
The pharmacist said he will let me know if he gets to the bottom of it but said he had no idea what had happened.

[Troels]

I put my prescription in abut a week and a half before I run out now. Not siezue meds but still important. Lesson learned when I went in and they handed me the paper prescription and said they couldn't get it. I spent two days driving around different pharmacies till I found it, and was about to use my last tablet. (tiny locally owned pharmacy was the only one with stock it turned out)
You really need to start picking up the paper prescription and taking it somewhere other than Tesco.

[PlaceYourItemInTheBaggingArea]

Glad to see you are changing now.

[Mileysmiley]

I would use Boots pharmacy if I was you.

[WhatTiggersDoBest]

You can also complain to the General Pharmaceutical Council as this is a dispensing incident, but you'll need the name of the pharmacist who actually dispensed the medication, and in a supermarket pharmacy they'll have at least 3 regular pharmacists (not to mention locums) and it might not be the one you spoke to when you went in who dispensed the medication or handed it out (and it could also have been a dispenser rather than a pharmacist).

[Soontobe60]

OP, maybe it was the GP who got it wrong. This happen d with my DHs blood pressure meds. Gp only 50 metres away from chemist, I had to go back and forth 4 times! It was the staff at the GP who had sent through the wrong one.

[78percentLindt]

Potentially, this is a serious error. They have not checked that they are giving the meds to the correct person and their Standard Operating Procedures should cover this. They really need to sort this because potentially someone has had your meds thinking they are their contraceptives.
From my experience, ( in the old PCT days) some of the chains are really bad at reporting errors up the chain. I would ring the local CCG and ask to speak to the Medicines Management team or Clinical Governance team. They should ensure that it does get reported up the Tesco chain and is properly investigated.

BTW - to correct a pp SOME but not all anti-epileptics can be prescribed generically and the brands switched. Not convinced I agree but they can be changed
www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/antiepileptic-drugs-updated-advice-on-switching-between-different-manufacturers-products

[InflagranteDelicto]

I can take an educated guess. Someone with a similar name to you has collected a prescription, and the SOPs haven't been followed when giving it out.

It's serious, and you do need to find an alternative pharmacy because the trust has been destroyed. They need to contact their superintendent, and personally I'd be following it up with a complaint. They also need to identify the person who recieved your meds, and hope they haven't started taking them.

[CreatedBySombra]

The pharmacy's make extra money on automatic prescription services from the NHS. They also make extra money from the NHS for the medication reviews they undertake...it's a big money spinning exercise for them, it absolutely is not about patient care.

You can report to the Pharmaceutical governing body (a quick Google will give you the details). These mistakes could be fatal and are utterly unacceptable in a job that has so many checks and counter checks.

[Lulualla]

What did they actually say when you told them that the medicine isn't a contraceptive and that it wasn't your signature?
Did they have an answer for what it's been signed for as a contraceptive? Because I don't understand how they can say they don't believe you.
If they are trying to say that you've collected already and they won't give you more then they won't report that to their head of area. It won't be looked into. They need to accept the mistake.

[NeverSayFreelance]

I did see something similar happen in my own pharmacy when a women came in, said her name, they brought the meds and read the address out - not her. Another woman with the same name who lived a few streets over. I imagine it's that kind of mix up - but it's bad that no one clicked before she left with the meds!